The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Arjuna award will motivate me: Binu

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Sunday, Aug 12, 2007
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Arjuna award will motivate me: Binu

Binu is Asiad silver medallist
Broke Milkha Singh’s 34-year-old record

New Delhi: After being plagued by injuries last year, middle distance runner K.M. Binu is preparing in earnest for next year’s Beijing Olympics and feels the Arjuna award bestowed upon him is a timely boost towards that end.

“The Arjuna award came just at the right time for me as I am working hard to be at my best at Beijing. It will motivate me a bit more,” the 26-year-old Keralite, who is the only athlete in the honours list for 2006.

However, he feels that the Arjuna award should have come his way much earlier after his sterling performances in 2004.

“I think that it has come a bit late and I was a little disappointed when I was overlooked for three years,” Binu said.

He had reached the semifinals of the 400m at the Athens Olympics, and in the process, broke the 34-year-old record held by the legendary Milkha Singh with his timing of 45.48 seconds.

Milkha’s mark

Milkha’s mark of 45.73 seconds had stood since the 1960 Rome Olympics where he had improved upon the previous world record to finish fourth.

Binu had also claimed the silver medal in the 800m at the Busan Asian Games in 2002.

Both feats could not get Binu the Arjuna but when he got the silver in the 4x400m relay at the Doha Asian Games last December, it clinched the award for him.

“I am happy that I have been chosen after so many years. I was expecting it for the past three years and finally it came,” Binu said from Bangalore, where he is attending the national camp.

“My family, close friends and the entire athletics fraternity are very happy for me right now,” he said.

‘Perfect shape’

Binu now has his sights firmly set on the Beijing Games and is looking to run 400m in under 45 seconds to contend for a medal at the greatest sporting extravaganza on earth.

“I am progressing well with my training now and in perfect physical and mental shape at the moment,” he said.

He had a hamstring injury on the preparatory tour to South Africa a year ago and also had an appendicitis operation later that year, but those problems are now behind him.

“Me and my coach are confident that I could break the 45 second barrier at the Beijing Olympics,” Binu, whose sister K.M. Beenamol also represented India with much distinction, said. Beenamol had been bestowed with the country’s highest sports award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, in 2002 and the Arjuna award two years earlier.

Future events

The next competitive event for Binu will be the national inter-State meet in Lucknow next month and he is also looking forward to participating in some European Grand Prix meets as a build-up to the quadrennial sporting carnival in China.

“My manager will work out the exact details. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will also arrange some foreign tours as preparation for the Olympics,” he said.

Binu also has one eye on the 2010 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be held in Delhi.

“I would also like to participate in them as they are being held at home for the first time. I want to win a medal there as well,” he added. — PTI

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